One study finds that the risk of tumor increases with the use of oral contraceptives

Ammogram images are studied to detect possible breast cancers. (Photo: Getty Images) [19659006] CHICAGO: Modern contraceptive pills that have fewer estrogens have fewer side effects than previous oral contraceptives, however, a large Danish study suggests that, like older pills, they modestly increase the risk of breast cancer, especially with use of long-term.

Researchers found a similar risk of breast cancer with the intrauterine device only from prog They were unable to rule out a risk for other hormonal contraceptives such as the patch and the implant.

Bu t the overall risk increase was small, which equates to an additional case of breast cancer among the 7,700 women who use such contraceptives per year. The experts who reviewed the research say that women should balance the news with the known benefits of the pill, including reducing the risk of other cancers.

"Hormonal contraception should still be perceived as a safe and effective option for family planning," said Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard, who did not participate. on the research.

40-year-old women may want to consider non-hormonal IUDs, tie their tubes or talk with their partners about vasectomy, Manson said

Studies of old contraceptive pills showed "a net benefit to cancer" due to A decrease in the risk of cancer of the colon, uterus and ovaries despite the increased risk of breast cancer, said Mia Gaudet, an epidemiologist of breast cancer. American Cancer Society.

There was optimism that the newer, lower-dose contraceptives would reduce the risk of breast cancer, but these results have frustrated those hopes, said Gaudet, who was not inv. Olved in the investigation.

About 140 million women use some form of hormonal contraception, including about 16 million in the United States.

CLOSE

Mortality rates from breast cancer have decreased by almost 40 percent between 1989 and 2015. Sam Berman de Veuer has the complete story. Buzz60

Researchers analyzed the health records of 1.8 million women, ages 15 to 49, in Denmark, where a national health system allows linking large prescribing databases, cancer diagnoses and other information .

Published results Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The Novo Nordisk Foundation funded the research, but played no role in the design of the study. The foundation has links with the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, which mainly manufactures drugs for diabetes and does not manufacture contraceptives.

More: A huge study tests 3-D mammography

More: Husband wears pink tutu to help who fight against breast cancer

More: Charities against breast cancer: Where to give – and where to avoid

The current and recent use of Hormonal contraception was associated with a 20 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer. The risk increased with prolonged use, from a 9 percent increase in risk with less than a year of contraceptive use to 38 percent after more than 10 years of use.

Deepening, the researchers found no differences between the types of contraceptive pills. Due to the shortage of users, the results for the patch, the vaginal ring, the implant and the progestin injection were less clear, but the analysis did not rule out an increased risk of breast cancer for these methods.

"No type of hormonal contraceptive is at risk" Unfortunately unrestrained, "said lead author Lina Morch of Copenhagen University Hospital.

Researchers reported education, childbirth and family history of breast cancer, but they could not adapt to other known risk factors such as alcohol consumption and limited physical activity, or protective factors such as breastfeeding.

Women with a family history of breast cancer may want to consult their doctors about other contraceptives, the doctor said. Dr. Roshni Rao, breast surgeon at New York-Presbyterian / Columbia University Medical Center.

"Oral contraceptives are like any other medication," Rao said. "There are risks and there are benefits. If you have a reason to take them, it is perfectly reasonable to do so. "